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AUDIOPHILE AUDITION is a free international online magazine for audio buffs, record collectors and music lovers, publishing up to 100 disc reviews monthly of classical, jazz, pop, movies, documentaries, and operas on Blu-ray and DVD, vinyl, CDs and hi-res formats.

What a lovely and utterly absorbing disc. It’s a selection of (mostly) Gregorian Chants performed by The Fraternity, a small choral group – an international community considered one of the top specialists in Gregorian Chant in the world. This disc is their debut major label release.

There’s 20 tracks of just sublime music here, recorded in an acoustic space the is just right for these chants.

The tracks are not all vocal; track 2 is just a lonely tolling of a bell. The rest of the program consists of traditional chants, and the disc was a perfect respite from the hackneyed holiday music that is blaring in every shopping mall, airport and Christmas Tree lot. It’s not really holiday music, but rather a solemn funeral mass, but it still works for the season.

Although this music will bring back many memories of the Latin mass, any listener should find this music calming and reverential.

Musically, this is a flawless performance. It’s ethereal, mystical and absorbing. The recording was done at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Nebraska. Listening on my trusty Magnepan 3.6r speakers the sound came alive. Letting my pre-amp deliver faux surround made the experience even better.

If you are a fan or choral music, masses, or Gregorian Chant, don’t let this disc pass you by.